Serious Little Catholics by Kathy Gereau

Release: June 8th, 2021
Format: Paperback
Publisher: She Writes Press
Source: Suzyapproved Book Tours
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N

Serious Little Catholics follow Kathy Gereau, the oldest of seven children, as she grows up in the mid-’50s and ’60s and makes her way through Catholic school alongside her siblings. Initially, she buys into the mysteries of faith and the litany of rules by the Sisters of Mercy. But when her fourth-grade teacher tells the class that Kathy’s sweet little Protestant grandmother would never get admission into heaven, she begins to question the rigid dogma of the church. Later, she discovers that not all boys are as goofy as her brothers and struggles with the notion that it is a woman’s responsibility to discourage men from the plague of impure thoughts. For this reason, even an innocent flirtation can sinfully lead men into a temptation they are not capable of resisting. Hence it doesn’t seem fair.

Ultimately, with the help of her classmates and a few understanding teachers, she learns to laugh at the ridiculous bits of her religion. And she discovers the spiritual message within.

About the Author:

Kathy Gereau was born into a family of natural storytellers in 1951. Notably, her family soon moved from Washington, DC, to a small town in Illinois. After graduating from Northern Illinois University, she landed a special education teaching job in Galena, IL, where she currently lives. She retired at age fifty and began looking for her next passion. She joined a local writer’s group and began jotting down stories from her childhood. Encouraged by these supportive and accomplished writers, she decided to put her stories into a book. She currently resides in Galena, IL.

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Serious Little Catholics Review:

“Serious Little Catholics” is a refreshing charming book that doesn’t have any unnecessary drama or emotional baggage. It is a beautiful, light-hearted memoir of a girl who grows up being Catholic in the 1950/the 60s. She fills the book with humorous anecdotes of her family and friends, and I adored reading it.

The author fills the initial chapters with a touch of innocence and charm as Kathy undergoes primary school. Some of the memorable moments of the story are when Kathy secretly sees what’s in the boy’s bathroom or when they learn with Mr. Reynolds. Mr. Reynolds and Ms. Kohler were my favorite supporting cast. I wish we had more of them. The author also adds a touch of cheeky humor as she grows up into her teens, talking about desires and questioning some parts of the faith. Moreover, there are also some lovely family moments, and I loved when they go on the road trip to Missouri.

Another reason why I enjoyed the story is because of the pop culture references included during that time. From John F Kennedy to the Beatles, the author made me feel like I grew up with her during that era. She realistically wrote the story capturing some of the critical events that happened during the time. On a side note, I also felt like I learned a lot about Catholicism in general, as the book provides snippets of the faith.

Overall, “Serious Little Catholics” is one of those books that makes you feel good by reading a portion of the author’s life, and I enjoyed it a lot.